Throughout history, women have courageously challenged the status quo, fighting for gender equality and sparking transformative social movements. These movements, collectively known as feminism, have shaped the course of history and empowered countless individuals.
Discussions surrounding equality have existed long before the term “feminism” entered our lexicon. Plato, in his influential work The Republic, championed the idea that women possessed inherent capabilities equal to men in governing and defending ancient Greece. In ancient Rome, women protested against the Lex Oppia law, which restricted access to gold and other goods.
As soon as they begin to be your equals, they will have become your superiors!
The history of the feminist movement is often categorized into three distinct “waves.” The first wave primarily covers the women’s suffrage movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the fight for women’s right to vote. The second wave is associated with the women’s liberation movement that emerged in the 1960s, advocating for legal and social rights for women. The third wave began in the 1990s as a response to the limitations of second-wave feminism. It aims to critically examine, reclaim, and redefine the concepts that shape our understanding of womanhood, gender, beauty, and sexuality, among other aspects.
First-wave feminism emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States. Initially, its main goals were centered around advocating for equal contract and property rights for women, challenging the notion of women as property within marriage, and opposing the control husbands had over their wives and children. However, as the 19th century drew to a close, the focus shifted toward attaining political influence and suffrage.
Silent Sentinels begin a 2.5-year campaign in front of the White House, 1917
Brave trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott led the charge in the United States, advocating for the right to vote and challenging the notion that women were inherently inferior to men. Millicent Fawcett, among others, played a vital role in the fight for suffrage in the UK.
One of the defining moments of this wave was the first women’s rights convention, the Seneca Falls Convention, held in 1848 in New York, where the Declaration of Sentiments was drafted, demanding suffrage and equal rights for women.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.
Gradually, suffragettes achieved victories in their quest for equality. In 1893, New Zealand became the first sovereign state to grant women the right to vote, followed by Australia in 1902 and Finland in 1906. The United Kingdom also made progress, albeit limited, by granting suffrage to women over 30 in 1918.
The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920 granted American women the right to vote, although obstacles remained for women of color. It took over four decades of persistent struggle to finally achieve true voting equality.
In 1963, Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, which resonated widely, revealing women’s discontent with traditional roles. Selling 3 million copies in three years, it launched the second wave of feminism. This wave broadened the scope of the movement as women advocated for reproductive rights, equal pay, and an end to gender discrimination within the workplace.
Women’s Strike for Equality, New York, August 26, 1970. By Eugene Gordon, The New York Historical Society.
The second wave witnessed iconic protests, such as the Women’s Strike for Equality in 1970, where thousands of women marched for gender equality and equal rights. The movement’s impact was significant, leading to legislative changes, including the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, which prohibited gender-based discrimination in education (but despite its congressional approval, it failed to secure enough state ratifications to become law), and a landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973. This decision established a woman’s constitutional right to choose to have an abortion, sparking ongoing debates that persist to this day (it was overturned in 2022).
The point of feminism is you shouldn’t have to be a man to be treated with equal respect.
The third wave blossomed due to women’s increased economic and professional power from the second wave, the information revolution’s vast opportunities for sharing ideas, and the rise of Generation X scholars and activists. Driven by a determination to address persisting issues, the focus of the movement shifted towards combating workplace sexual harassment and addressing the underrepresentation of women in positions of power. The third wave also embraced rebellion over reform, encouraging women to express their sexuality and individuality.
The history of feminism is a testament to resilience, courage, and unwavering determination. It continues to be a vital force, advocating for gender equality, dismantling oppressive systems, and amplifying marginalized voices. As we reflect on the history of feminism, let us honor the progress made while acknowledging the work that remains.
Quotes
“Independence is happiness.” ―Susan B. Anthony
“I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.” ―Jane Austen, Persuasion
“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” ―Irina Dunn
“No woman gets an orgasm from shining the kitchen floor.” ―Betty Friedan
“I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard…We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” ―Malala Yousafzai
Recommended books
References
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